Are you working in an organization where managers know how to motivate employees? Do employees at your workplace believe they will be justly compensated for a good performance appraisal?


I coach a number of managers who don’t make the effort to know their employees and discover what motivates them to do their best work. Emotionally intelligent managers listen to their employees, and elicit feedback that will improve work place performance.

Myth: People simply lack the motivation to work.


If you believe this myth, think about three things that may be going on in your employees’ minds. Ask yourself:



1. Do your employees believe their maximum efforts will be recognized in performance appraisals?



For many employees, the response is a resounding “no.” Their skill level may be deficient, which means that no matter how hard they try, they’re unlikely to be high performers. Or, if the appraisal system assesses factors like loyalty or initiative, more effort won’t result in a better review. If employees think their best efforts will yield only a mediocre review, they will suffer from low motivation.



2. Do employees believe a good performance appraisal will lead to organizational rewards?



When pay is allocated on seniority or special relationships, employees perceive the performance-reward relationship to be weak and demotivating.



3. Are the rewards that employees receive the ones they want?



Some people want promotions, others desire pay, and still others seek more interesting assignments. When rewards aren’t tailored to employees’ specific wants and motivating drives, then incentives are suboptimized.


To motivate employees, do what’s necessary to strengthen performance-reward relationships. Make it obvious that specific behaviors will be rewarded, and always keep your word to maintain credibility and morale.


The Real Truth: If employees aren’t motivated, the fault lies with their managers and organizational practices—not the workers. If the performance-reward relationship is weak, motivation drops.